Household characteristics and gastrointestinal helminth infection data from dogs in Machakos County, Kenya
Data description
This dataset contains household-level information on dog ownership, management practices, and environmental characteristics collected during a cross-sectional household survey in Machakos County, Kenya. The dataset also includes laboratory results from faecal samples collected from dogs in participating households and analysed for gastrointestinal helminths.
The dataset combines household survey data with laboratory diagnostic results from faecal samples examined using Mini-FLOTAC and zinc chloride flotation–sieving techniques. Molecular analyses were conducted to identify hookworm species and assess genetic diversity.
The data were collected in Machakos County, Kenya, across three sub-locations representing varying human population densities.
The dataset combines two sources of information:
1.	Household survey data, which include household demographic characteristics, dog ownership and management practices, livestock ownership, environmental variables, and household infrastructure characteristics.
2.	Helminth laboratory data, which include the presence or absence of helminth infection, detection of specific parasites (hookworm, tapeworm, roundworm, and coccidia), and categorised infection burden based on egg counts.
Study design
A cross-sectional household-based survey was conducted among dog-owning households. One faecal sample was collected from each participating household for parasitological analysis. When multiple dogs were present in a household, faecal samples from individual dogs were combined to produce a single composite sample.
Each row in the dataset corresponds to a dog-owning household from which a faecal sample was collected and analysed.
Data processing and anonymisation
To protect participant confidentiality, personal identifiers (including names, phone numbers, and GPS coordinates) were removed. Household identifiers were standardised and retained solely for linking household survey data with helminth laboratory results.